Burdens To Bear
by SoraPsycho
Summary: Miaru's life was just becoming normal. However, trouble begins to brew in Agrabah. It can be caused by no one other than the mysterious theif, 'Burden'. A grave mistake causes Miaru to be swept up in something she doesn't even want to believe in. Who is 'Burden' and what does she have to do with an even greater evil? OCs! Bit of violence. NO MARY-SUES I PROMISE. PLEASE READ. ILY.
1. People To Move And Burdens To Bear

(A/N: Hooray! More Kingdom Hearts! Well there are Kingdom Hearts characters in this story, but it's really just OCs in a Kingdom Hearts setting. So I have my OCs as main characters so don't like don't read. This story actually came to me in a dream. And the image was so clear in my head, I even had the names of my characters in the dream, but they were in Kingdom Hearts worlds so I woke up and INSTANTLY began writing this story. I hope you enjoy the twisted depths of my mind.

DISCLAIMER: I KEEP FORGETTING TO TELL YOU PEOPLE I DON'T OWN THIS. As if you didn't already know.)

"We need some popcorn up in here!"

"Riku would you be a darling and go make us some? THANKS."

"What? Since when did I agree to be a slave to the three of you?"

Sora, Kairi, and Miaru laughed.

"Oh come let's be nice to Riku! After all, it's unfair to pick on the weakest of the group." Miaru teased.

Steam began to escape the silver-haired boy's ears.

The trio of bullies laughed even harder.

The four of them had gotten together like they had every night of this summer so far. It was practically like, a tradition. They had done something different every night. One night it was bowling. Another night it was going out to dinner. Tonight it was watching Disney movies until it got late.

Riku came back with a big bowl of popcorn and a DVD.

"Here, pop this in." He tossed the disk to Sora.

"Yeah, okay."

"That's what she said." Miaru whispered to Kairi. They laughed

Sora had turned on his television and froze.

"Hey guys check this out!"

"_Tonight on 'Agrabah News': The infamous pick-pocket thief known as 'Burden' is at it again. Princess Jasmin awoke to find her windows open and jeweled slippers gone. It has not been officially declared, but authorities have evidence and reason to believe it was none other than 'Burden'. Known for stealing small items on the streets such as food, this is an incredible feat, even for her. As of late she's been seen stealing hardware items such as wood paneling and nails. Most suspect she has created a hideout where she has stashed her stolen goods but this supposed hideout has yet to be found. Princess Jasmin claims that she is not upset and asks the authorities to go easy on the girl. 'Burden' often hangs about Agrabah because the markets are open meaning easy to steal, easy to escape. Not many people have actually seen her face. She is only identifiable when she doesn't have a hat on. Her hair is said to be boy short and a bright sea foam green color. She was last sighted in the bazaar in a heated chase. Here is the footage from our helicopters."_

A girl, who looked to be the age of a teenager, was running and jumping on the tops of buildings and crashing through windows and causing havoc in the streets.

"That's terrible…Princess Jasmin has such a good heart…" Kairi sighed.

Miaru thought about Jonas, a boy she met a while back who travels all the worlds, who happens to be one of her best friends. She currently knew him to be living in Agrabah at the moment. She hoped that 'Burden' hadn't taken anything from him or worse, harmed him in any way.

"I guess we'll have to check on Aladdin and Jasmin later…" Sora said to Riku.

"I don't know about that Sora, I think they have it under control there. She's not a heartless as far as I can tell, just a common thief." Riku replied. "Aladdin used to be one before he met Princess Jasmine, remember?"

Sora shrugged. "If you say so Riku…but maybe we should go, I haven't checked Agrabah's news in a while."

"Whatever you want Sora." Sora and Riku got Agrabah news and the news of all the other worlds after they defeated Xehanort. The King decided that Sora and Riku should get the news quickly from the T.V. if ever trouble began to brew again.

~(…)~

After the movie was over Kairi and Riku went home.

"Bye Sora, bye Miaru! See you guys tomorrow!" Kairi called. She and Riku raced to their homes as the sun hung dangerously low in the sky. The two inside waved goodbye and returned to the living room.

Miaru took out her cell phone and called Jonas.

"Oh, come on…please pick up."

A male's voice could be heard through the speakers.

"Hello?"

"Hello?! Jonas!" She cried, relieved to hear that he sounded fine.

"What's up Mia?" He asked.

"I wanted to see if you were okay! You know, with 'Burden' around."

"Oh yeah!" He snickered. "The infamous 'Burden' is prowling around the streets of Agrabah. NO ONE IS SAFE."

"This is serious!" Miaru complained. "Quit joking around. I really just want to make sure that you don't get anything stolen from you!"

"You're right. Although she's just another thief, people tend to underestimate her, she's crafty, obviously. Doin' this for years, yet almost never even being sighted. It didn't really surprise me when she took the shoes…I figured she eventually would've wanted to move up in the thieving world. It kinda freaks me out a bit, honestly. In fact, I'm moving again tomorrow. I'm taking the ferry to Twilight Town."

"Really? That's great! Why did you never tell me this before, I'd be way less worried."

"It's because I just decided this yesterday. A buddy and I went over there looking for a new place and I found a great one that I'm renting from a guy I met over there."

"Oh cool, so you've already got a new friend?" Miaru asked laughing.

"Yeah. I just hope there aren't any pick-pockets there either. Hey could you do me a HUGE favor? I'd really appreciate if you helped me pack."

"That sounds like a great idea! I'll ask Sora. Text ya' when I have an answer!"

"A'ight. PEACE."

Helping Jonas move would be no problem. The hardest part of this was asking permission from a certain someone.

Miaru shyly shimmied over to Sora.

"Hey Sora,"

He turned around and smiled. God he was gorgeous. His deep blue eyes beautifully complementing his caramel colored hair. Soft hair, though having the appearance of a porcupine, was one of her favorite things about the teen. The fell in just the right and framed his flawless face perfectly.

"Yeah?"

She was almost speechless until she forced the words out of her.

"Um, J-Jonas is moving out of Agrabah tomorrow and uh, wants me to help him pack so I was um wondering-"

"If you could stay over in Agrabah tonight? Yeah I guess I'll just tell my parents you're sleeping over at a friend's house." He smiled even wider as Miaru began to grin as well.

"You're the best!" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and ran to her room to pack a bag. He tried calling after her, to no avail.

"Just! ...be safe…" He mumbled that last part to himself.

~(…)~

She slipped out of the house at 9 o'clock to catch the ferry over to Agrabah.

She hauled her bag over her shoulder as she ran down the dock and hopped into the sea vessel.

Sora, Riku, and the King created the ferry system after they defeated Xehanort last year. It allows a small boat to travel a pathway to get to other worlds easier than flying by gummi ship.

After about ten minutes of putt-putting through the waters between the two worlds, she stepped into the port of Denahi in Agrabah and quickly headed to Jonas' house before she could get robbed.

She looked around nervously and pounded frantically on Jonas' door. She wondered if 'Burden was watching her…

It creaked open slowly. A hand reached out and yanked her inside.

Said hand pulled her and locked her tight in an embrace.

"Hey, I'm so glad you made it safely!" Jonas cried. "I've been hearing loud bangs and screams around the market. No doubt 'Burden' is at it again…" He sadly looked off to the side.

She did as well.

To break the silence, Miaru spoke.

"So, you wanna get to it?"

"Yeah. I wanna be on the next boat outta here but don't think that's gonna happen."

"Well…do you think we'll be able to finish before the last boat leaves at midnight?

Jonas sighed. "No, I don't. And unfortunately the first ferry of tomorrow leaves precisely at six o'clock. I wouldn't want to wake you up even EARLIER just so you can help me carry my crap to the boat…"

"No, I don't mind really!" Miaru affirmed.

"No, Mia, I don't want this to be your burden to bear."

The two froze at the use of the word 'burden' coming up in conversation and Miaru thought of anything else to say to fill the now stiff air in the room with noise.

"Well I guess I could get a hotel room…"

Jonas' face lit up.

"Really? I would feel a lot better if you did. No need to worry, I'll pay for it myself. They're pretty cheap for a one-night stay…" The boy kept rambling, relieved that she agreed with him.

Miaru didn't really mean what she had said, she was trying to pick up the conversation again but after seeing how happy Jonas got…

Her choice pretty much died.

She was adamant about staying over at his house for the night but he somehow managed to get his way after all.

~(…)~

It was monotonous, boring, and exhausting work but Miaru finally taped up the last box.

"That's all of them!"

They checked the clock.

2:17

Jonas handed her 9000 munny. Miaru's face twisted and she refused to take it out of his hand. Noticing this, Jonas grabbed her hand and opened her palm. He laid the munny down and forced her hand closed.

"Here, this should cover your room and any breakfast for the morning. I know the owner of the hotel so she kinda has a secret discount for me and any of my pals. And also take this."

He handed her a map of Agrabah.

"The hotel is called 'Arabian Dream'."

She looked down. The hotel was practically across the street from Jonas' house…probably not enough walking distance for her to get mugged by 'Burden', so this somewhat boosted her confidence about roaming the streets of Agrabah at night, even if 'Burden' was lurking in the darkness.

He somberly smiled at her as she made her way to the door.

"Again, thanks so much for helping me. Oh and uh, don't worry about paying me back; you don't have to." He kept yapping.

Miaru couldn't get a word in. It was as if Jonas was bombarding her so she couldn't protest to his previous statements.

She opened the door.

The air was humid and full of thick fog.

"Bye…"

"Yeah, bye. You should call me if you need any help with the new place!" Miaru suggested, slowly slipping through the doorway.

"I'll just have to take you up on that offer." She had just turned to leave when Jonas stopped her.

"Oh! I almost forgot. When you get there, say to Reema, 'I want to see it. What he's hiding. Jonas sent me.' She'll know what it means."

Mia nodded. She smiled at him and began to walk away.

"Be safe!" He called out to her.

She didn't respond.

He mumbled something else…

She didn't understand that last part. Was she not supposed to? Didn't he want her to know?

He watched her go. Her outline began to blur and fade through the fog and he watched her disappear into the night.


	2. Places To Stay And Burdens To Bear

(A/N: I just realized how bad the first chapter was. I'm sorry, I'll fix this, this chapter will be better 'cause the first one was just intros and crap. This chapter is a bit fluffy because A. I like fluff, B. I wanted to give you a better picture of Miaru and why she cares so much what she's like and C. All the crazy plot and action crap should all be saved for one chapter and it would just be bad story-telling and against my writing style to cram so much information into one chapter. So as a result of these factors, we get a mostly fluff chapter. I hope you enjoy anyway. )

Miaru pulled her bag along the dusty road creating clouds of debris behind her, coating her clothes and hair. She continued forward stopping only to check her surroundings making sure there weren't any unwanted visitors following her. She shuffled her small feet kicking up dirt everywhere. She reached into her pocket to fetch the paper Jonas gave her; she tried to identify where she was. It felt like she had been staggering down the street forever.

That map was misleading.

Jonas' house was much farther away than she thought.

She trudged along the darkened path being illuminated by a dim candle-fueled street lamp hanging high atop its blackened wood post.

A loud crash behind her caused Miaru to quicken her pace in the direction of the hotel. Fear consumed her and she started trembling. Another crash echoed far in front of her. It was ridiculous to assume that it was the famous thief; the sounds were at least fifty feet apart. No one could move that fast without Miaru noticing. But 'Burden' had gone from pick-pocketing to grand theft.

Who knew what else she was capable of?

Sounds trailed after her. Frightened, she began to run.

Thoughts began to cloud her head.

'_What if it's her? REALLY her? Maybe it's just an animal…but maybe that's exactly what she wants you to think!'_

The nervous mind of Miaru Satsuo went completely blank. She had realized. She was running blindly.

She was no longer following what the map instructed. She could be in a completely different part of the town by now…she hadn't seen any commercial buildings in a while. The out-of-breath teen slowed her heart rate and blinked hard clearing the dust out of her swollen eyes. Looking for any sign of life she went on a bit further searching for signs. She had finally come across one that was blinking neon.

DESERT SAND TAVERN

And just above it similar sign read:

ARABIAN DREAM INN

Miaru smiled to herself more excited that she was able to get indoors than she was about finding it.

Having no clear path to follow, it's a wonder that she found the bloody place at all.

She opened the door to the tavern.

Arabian music softly played in the background of the scene. Mosaic tiles were strategically placed in patterns splayed over the walls. The room wasn't well lit, just a small light bulb hanging over the bar. A dim glow came from a narrow enclosed staircase on the opposite side of where Mia was standing.

It reeked of alcohol and sweat.

It was late so most of the patrons were either gone or had nodded off at one of the splintery, wooden tables.

One man wedged in the far right corner, was sleeping rather soundly. The large, round table pushed slightly into his large, round stomach. His head drooped down allowing Miaru to see the salt and pepper colors of his hair and beard.

Miaru slowly made her way to the bar where a short, dark-haired girl, wearing a black uniform had her back turned and was cleaning glasses in a small sink.

Miaru was hesitant, not wanting to interrupt her work, but spoke eventually.

"Excuse me?"

The girl whipped around, her big brown eyes were wide with surprise. Her nametag said:

REEMA

"Oh, hello there…"

"Hi…"

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

"Um…I would like to stay the night, if it isn't any trouble…" Miaru stated not really meaning it. At this point she was so tired she didn't really care if she was a thorn in the girl's side or not.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all! Just give me a second to put this away…"

There was a silence. Miaru remembered a topic of importance.

"Ma'am, I was told to tell you, 'I want to see it. What he's hiding. Jonas sent me'." She froze.

Silence again.

"Oh…so he did, did he?"

Miaru nodded.

She looked from left to right.

Reema motioned with her finger for Mia to come to her. Miaru slipped behind the bar and joined Reema in squatting under the counter top.

"I suppose you must be really special," Reema said removing a thick mustard-colored brick from underneath the bar top, "if he wanted you to have this." She dug around in the small dark absence of brick. She pulled out a beautifully decorated and ancient-looking dagger.

Miaru fumbled backwards in confusion.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait…Jonas…wanted me to have…this?"

Reema nodded. The two stood up and exited the bar. Reema went to the door to lock it up for the night.

"He told me to keep it safe for him, for when he knew it would be most useful. I guess you'll be doing some pretty big things if it's yours now." Reema half-smiled. "I'll keep it here until you leave tomorrow, if you don't feel comfortable having it for the night."

Miaru's face displayed worry.

"Don't fret. This thing's been safe in my possession for almost two years. I think it'll be alright for one more night. I can probably assume you want me to keep it tonight because of 'Burden'? I heard of her. Of course, everyone 'round here has…" She picked at the tan skin peeling around her fingers. "She ain't stolen from me. She ain't stupid enough to."

Miaru grinned.

Reema did as well. She returned the dagger back to its hideout and took her apron off.

"C'mon. I'll show you to your room. She shut the light off and they headed upstairs.

The second level was MUCH different than the tavern.

It was rather nice for a run-down inn in the middle of nowhere. The theme of the whole place here being golden-colored and Arabian. A dark brass chandelier hung over the main hallway. Small blubbering fountain was mounted at the back wall at the end of the hallway. The hotel desk was tucked into a small cutout on the right wall.

Reema stepped behind it and handed Miaru a key.

"Your room is #13 on the fourth floor." A big smile. "Have a nice stay."

Miaru returned the smile and headed up more stairs and made way for the fourth floor.

The stairs opened up to dark wood paneling floor with ficuses littered here and there. The stones tinted a light shade of brown made the hallway feel small.

"11, 12 … 13." She stopped in front of her door, inserted the key and pushed inside.

The room itself was a bit small but perfect just for her. The walls were painted beige with a thin border of dark brown on the top and bottom of the wall. Her bed looked a bit old. The dark wood headboard matched the floor.

She turned on her iPod just for background noise. She was a bit nervous. There was a thief on the loose and this was the first time she was ever staying alone in a hotel.

"_I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more." _

Christina Perry's soothing voice played through her speakers singing 'A Thousand Years'.

She began to dance slowly around the room by herself, pretending she had a male companion as the other half of her waltz.

She wished Sora were here. Longing to feel him holding her in an embrace, his warm body tight against hers. His sweet scent filling her nose and reminding her the day they first met. His precious smile…his comforting voice.

She danced her way into the bathroom to wash up and changed into her pajamas. She looked into the mirror.

She grimaced when she saw the layer of dirt blanketing her hair and clothes.

She threw back the curtain of the shower and turned on the warm water. When she felt it was hot enough, she rid herself of the filthy articles of clothing, stepped inside, and began to lather herself in soap.

Stepping out made her feel refreshed; ten pounds lighter, even. She took her pajamas out of her overnight bag and changed into them.

When she was done with it, she tucked her bag in the farthest corner of the closet, for safe keeping.

She walked out to the balcony of her room and breathed in deeply. The air had a taste like old cigars. Looking over the city, she smiled spotting Jonas' now empty house. Small balls of light came from every building illuminating the night sky.

She shut the lights off and flopped on to the little bed.

She checked the clock.

3:46

It was then that she realized just how tired she was. She had been up for such a long time. All day out on the town and at the beach, then watching movies with Sora, Riku, and Kairi, helping Jonas move, searching for the hotel, talking to Reema, she was EXHAUSTED.

When she turned on the T.V. it was on the news station. They played the clip of 'Burden' again.

Seeing it disturbed her, she needed to stop fretting about it.

Miaru changed the station to the Discovery Channel where _Mythbusters_ played. She set the T.V. timer to shut it off in one hour.

She turned to her side and hugged her extra pillow tight.

Although it was nice here, it was weird. Not having Sora around every second of the day was an odd feeling…and Miaru honestly didn't like it.

And of course it was going to be weird for her. She lived with him for God's sake! So not hearing his voice…not hearing him say 'goodnight Miaru, see you tomorrow!' like he always did…made her a bit sad. But she didn't worry too much about it, she knew it was only for the night.

Then tomorrow, she'd see Sora again.

(A/N: Thank you guys for making it through my crappy attempt at fluff. I love you all so much uvu.

KTHNXBAI! )


End file.
